PLANTS CONSPICUOUS FOR THEIR AUTUMN TINTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 10

PLANTS CONSPICUOUS FOR THEIR AUTUMN TINTS.

We are fast getting- into the sere and yellow leaf^-and towards evening the atmosphere feels a little frosty, and on the morning of Tuesday, the 4th, I found that vegetable marrows, French heans, and dahlias were blackened by a severe frost. Other exotics have not suffered to any extent, and our flower beds and borders are yet gay with autumnal flowers. The tints of many trees and shrubs are, at this season, as beautiful to look upon as the powers. The foliage of the sumach is crimson and gold; others are clothed in crimson, brown, yellow, or a mixture of all, the \ihole forming a picture upon which a lover of Nature cannot look without feelings of admiration, and at the same time of regret that Nature wrll soon disrobe of that which charms vis so much at this time. But we have the satisfaction of knowing_ that in a few months the beautiful foliage of the present will be surpassed by that of the future. The various species of acers (maples) furnish us with a variety of peculiarly beautiful foliage. The Canadian species are hardy ornamental trees, preferring a, moist situation and shelter from nor'westers. The variegated ash-leaved maples are beautiful as lawn specimens from the time the leaves unfold until they drop in autumn. The Japanese maples have a wonderful diversity of form and colour. Some have brilliant-coloured leaves, others delicate shades of green, the foliage being beautifully cut, in some instances resembling, ferns. These do best in a shaded and sheltered position. The common oak is not to be despised for its autumn tints, but the red, purple, and scarlet oaks are more brilliant in their colouring. Of humbler growth, but with high-coloured foliage, we have the oldfashioned guelder rose, commonly called the snowball shrub, owing to its large clusters of white flowers hanging like snowballs fiom the branches. Spiraea prunifolia is another conspicuous shrub at this time, and its small crimson leaves on slender branches make it very serviceable for house decoration. Among golden-leaved trees the various species of poplars are just now very beautiful, a few trees (about 30ft high) in this neighbourhood being clothed with yellow from base to summit. Another conspicuous golden-leaved tree is the golden ash. Leaves and bark are of a golden yellow, and the buds are blacik, rendering it particularly attractive even during winter. The Oriental plane from the Levant and the tulip tree from North America aro both very beautiful when they take on their autumn tints. Other beautiful autumnal tinted shrubs easy of cultivation ani easily obtained from any nursery are: Eerberis vulgaris (the foliage and fruit both being red), yellow flowering currant (with bronze foliage), sumachs (crimson and gold ; very beautiful), Virginian creeper (crimson foliage). Mountain ash, silver birch, Spanish chestnut, and purple birch are trees which the change of colouring in the foliage during the autumn months renders attractive at the end of the season. There are many others which might be introduced in shrubberies and plantations for autumnal effect, but these are tho best that have come under my observation during my rambles round this district. Trees and shrubs of such like oharacter add much to the pictorial effect of the park or pleasure grounds, whether planted as isolated individuals or forming a portion of a group, or in mixed ornamental plantations.

James Gebbi3. Awamoa, Oamaru, April 15.